OZARK, Ala. – More than 30 Ozark City Schools employees could stand to lose their jobs should a prorated education budget pass in the state legislature, Ozark City Schools Superintendent Mike Lenhart told board members on Tuesday.
Lenhart outlined the possibility as one of few options the system has should they cut funding as harshly as this year.
While some of the positions could be rehired, Lenhart said every aide – about 20 to 23 workers – in the school system, nine teachers and two or three custodial employees could lose their jobs, which would result in a little more than $600,000 in savings for the system.
Such decisions are expected to be finalized in a special called board meeting at the end of this month.
“We have to make some very tough decisions,” Lenhart said. “It’s not prudent for us to build a budget based on the rosiest circumstance. The cuts will get us through next year, and we should be able to retain an adequate reserve.
“When I committed to Ozark I committed to doing everything I can to keep the school system’s budget in the black, and right now our chief financial officer and myself believe this will work.”
School Board Chairman Mo Armstrong said the budgeting process this year has likely been the worst in his four-and-a-half years on the school board.
“I’ve seen some other systems lose valuable programs like ROTC and other programs have failed, but we are trying to keep our system headed in the right direction,” Armstrong said.
Lenhart said the system would help those who are unemployed because of budgeting find other jobs and consider the employees first when money was available to rehire.
Daleville City Schools Superintendent Andrew Kelley said he wanted to see which budget would pass in the state legislature before announcing any potential cuts.
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